Latest news with #WesternTrust
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
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PA Media Mike Nesbitt wrote to the Western Trust requesting a pause The health minister has called on the Western Health Trust to pause its consultation on the future of emergency general surgery at the South West Acute Hospital (Swah). Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the Enniskillen hospital in December 2022, with some patients from counties Fermanagh and Tyrone having to travel to Londonderry for treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, an hour and a half's drive away. On 3 July the Western Tust's board agreed to consult on the permanent removal of the service from Swah. The Department of Health has now confirmed Mike Nesbitt has written to the Western Trust asking it to pause the consultation. A spokesperson for the department said the consultation was a matter for the trust, but any permanent change to emergency general surgery at Swah in the future would require approval from the health minister. "The minister has been very aware of the ongoing and repeated challenges with the delivery of the recent consultation exercise," the spokesperson said. "He engaged directly with the trust on the matter last week to discuss a number of concerns. "Any change in service provision, and especially any proposed permanent changes, must always be guided by a clear desire to deliver and ensure better outcomes. "The minister has asked the trust to use this time to act quickly to restore confidence by producing a vision plan emphasising how the South West Acute Hospital will be supported to meet both the needs of its current and future population." Pacemaker General surgery at the South West Acute Hospital was halted in December 2022 Concerns about the consultation process had been raised by the Patient and Client Council (PCC), a body which represents the interests of the public in the health and social care system in Northern Ireland. In a letter sent to the campaign group Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) earlier in July, the PCC said it was "disappointed with how PCC's early conversation with the trust has been reflected in response to concerns about the consultation, including in the media". It said it had met with trust representatives on a "single occasion" In May 2025 " to provide early advice on best practice approaches to public involvement and engagement, in line with our statutory remit". SOAS previously described the decision to consult on removing emergency general surgery as "absolutely disgusting". Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Pat Cullen said Nesbitt's intervention "comes as no real surprise ". "The public were left feeling that their concerns and experiences were not being listened to," the Sinn Féin politician said. "The onus is now on the Western Trust to rebuild public confidence and listen to them. "They also need to produce a plan for Swah which outlines how it will be supported to meet the needs of the community and the future population." Why was the consultation taking place? Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the Enniskillen hospital in December 2022. At the time, the Western Trust said the suspension was necessary to protect the public's safety after it had problems recruiting surgical staff. At a trust board meeting at the start of July when the consultation was agreed to, the board was told it was"no longer possible to meet important safety standards at the Swah". Campaigners said the loss of services and the distance and travel time, as well as poor transport infrastructure, put lives at risk. Neil Guckian, the chief executive of the Western Trust, told the board meeting it was "not a rushed decision" and he understood the "strength of feeling" that this issue generates. "We have over two and a half years of working under these pathways, working effectively with no concerns on patient safety," he added. Mr Guckian said evidence showed that patients who need to go to Altnagelvin Hospital "have better clinical outcomes" and "no patient has come to harm". What is emergency general surgery? Emergency general surgery relates to the treatment of patients with conditions such as acute abdominal pain, infections, bleeding and trauma. It includes operations such as removing a patient's gall bladder, appendix or part of the bowel. If left unattended these conditions can become life-threatening. According to the Western Trust, SWAH dealt with about five such cases a day and that was not enough to sustain a dedicated emergency general surgical team.
Belfast Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
‘The last throw of the dice': Consultation event on SWAH surgery move sells out after campaigner's viral voice note
The Western Trust said people wishing to attend a public consultation can now apply for tickets on Eventbrite, a website commonly used for selling tickets for shows, gigs and exhibitions. The service has been suspended at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) since December 2022 after concerns were raised over staffing levels at the Enniskillen site. Arrangements put in place following the decision mean that patients who require EGS must instead travel to Altnagelvin Area Hospital in Londonderry for treatment and assessment. The Western Trust, which oversees the SWAH, last week voted to consult on a permanent transfer of the service to its Derry site. A first in-person event scheduled for July 15 at the Killyhevlin Hotel has now 'sold out'. It follows an impassioned plea from Save Our Acute Services (SOAS) campaigner Pauline Corrigan, whose voice note to friends on Wednesday morning was circulated widely on WhatsApp. Ms Corrigan, from Blacklion, on the border with Co Cavan, said she had been 'feeling down' about the Trust's decision and had taken an opportunity to vent. 'I just got on the phone, did a voice message, and I sent it to 20 of my friends. I started getting messages from a girl in Spain and then another girl from America and it just blew up,' she told the Belfast Telegraph. 'I just feel that, from the very beginning, when we lost emergency general surgery, we have been treated like dirt. Where I live, I am two hours and 20 minutes away from Altnagelvin. 'We live on a farm and have more risk of having a serious industrial accident than any other industry. Unfortunately, I know that too well because my grandfather was killed by a bull and my niece was crushed under a tractor. "A farm accident is a serious accident because they're dealing with machinery and animals. I genuinely live in fear; we haven't a hope.' Pauline's message has implored friends and family to make their presence felt at next week's meeting, describing it as the 'last throw of the dice'. She said she had been overwhelmed with the level of support following her plea: 'I'm not saying it was my voice message — I can't take any credit for that — but I have never seen the sea change of people. 'I've had at least 25 calls and messages from people that I haven't heard from in years and they've said enough is enough. 'People ignite something in them when they realise this is it. I have never seen this level of anger. We will not stop until we get this back. If we have to block roads, we'll block roads.' Emergency services at the scene of serious RTC in Bangor The Western Trust said rules around 'public health, safety and security' prevented it from going above capacity for the consultation event. 'It is important that you do not attend if you are not registered for the event,' said a spokesperson. 'The Trust has significant learning from the previous consultation on the temporary change to EGS at SWAH. We are pleased with the response to date and we are keen to engage with as many people as possible over the 14-week period of the consultation. 'We are committed to ensuring the public have every opportunity to attend a public consultation session, either face-to-face or virtually. 'We will now hold a second face-to-face session in the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area. 'Details of this date will be issued as soon as possible on Trust channels. 'The Trust has set up a 'waiting list' on Eventbrite for anyone who wanted to attend Killyhelvlin but was unable to get a ticket.' Another consultation event will be held at the Waterfoot Hotel in Derry on July 17, as well as a virtual consultation session on August 27.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Swah: Trust to consult on ending hospital surgery services
A proposal to consult on the permanent removal of surgical services from the South West Acute Hospital (Swah) has been agreed to at a board Western Health and Social Care Trust board was told it is "no longer possible to meet important safety standards at the Swah".Emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended at the Enniskillen hospital in December 2022, with some patients from Fermanagh and Tyrone having to travel to Londonderry for treatment at Altnagelvin Area Hospital instead, up to an hour and a half's drive the time, the Western Trust said the suspension was necessary to protect the public's safety after it had problems recruiting surgical staff. Campaigners say the loss of services and the distance and travel time, as well as poor transport infrastructure, put lives at Guckian, the chief executive of the Western Trust, told the board meeting that it was "not a rushed decision" and he understood the "strength of feeling" that this issue generates."We have over two and a half years of working under these pathways. Working effectively with no concerns on patient safety," he added. Mr Guckian said evidence showed that patients who need to go to Altnagelvin Hospital "have better clinical outcomes" and "no patient has come to harm". 'No clinically adverse outcomes for patients' Dr Brendan Lavery, medical director of the Western Trust, said that independent evidence showed there was a "very significant difference in mortality scores" between the Swah and Altnagelvin hospitals."When comparing the two units Altnagelvin comes out considerably better," he told the meeting that during the temporary suspension of surgical services there were "no clinically adverse outcomes for patients".Mark Gillespie, director of surgery, paediatrics and women's health at the Western Trust, said the temporary suspension of general surgery had "transformed and improved patient outcomes"."The proposal has the support of the surgical consultant workforce and myself as director."Geraldine McKay, director of unscheduled care, medicine, cancer and clinical services at the Western Trust, outlined the intention to launch the 12-week consultation on 8 July on the Western Trust Western Trust also plans to hold a series of "consultation events" including in Fermanagh, Londonderry and consultation responses will be published in the winter of 2026 with ministerial approval needed for any enactment of change.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Western Trust: £4m lost from missed appointments
More than 18,000 outpatient appointments were wasted in the Western Trust last year due to patients not turning up for their appointment last year, the trust has missed appointment costs the trust £220 which equates to £4m lost to the health and social care budget, the trust attending outpatient appointments across the Western Trust area receive a text or an automated call, reminding them of their outpatient appointment three days prior to their a statement, the trust asked "for the public's cooperation in reducing non-attendance for hospital outpatient appointments so that valuable resources and staff time is not wasted". 'Every missed appointment is a lost opportunity' From 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 the total number of patients who did not attend their outpatient appointment was 18, Director of Surgery, Paediatrics and Women's Health Paul Doherty said: "We understand that there are many genuine reasons why people are not able to make an appointment however, as these figures show every missed appointment is a lost opportunity for someone else to be seen."He added that if patients let the hospital know if they won't be able to attend, this will have a "significant impact on already overstretched health service".To help reduce non-attendance, the trust has in place a system for booking outpatient appointments, where patients are given a choice of dates and times and they can select one that best suits trust also offer the ConnectWest App which allows for online messaging which includes out of hours communication with the booking team.
